Stained Glass Masquerade
by Anatala
Summary: A House poetry contest prompts Draco to submit a poem. The result causes the entire school to think about the Slytherin House in a whole new light.


**Stained Glass Masquerade**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or anything else. The poem belongs to Casting Crowns.

**A/N:** The poem is actually lyrics from a song by the same name by a group called Casting Crowns; I changed a few of the words to make it fit better. When I first heard the song, it made me think of Draco and what he must feel like. And to those few of you anxiously awaiting an update on my other story, don't worry, I haven't forgotten about it, I'm still working on it. Anyway on with the story.

Draco stared at the announcement posted on the board in common room. Apparently, in order to boost House spirit, or something, the Headmaster was creating a contest. A poetry contest. People were to submit a poem that best represented their House, some attribute that their house promoted, or something that best defined the people in their House. Then once all the poems were submitted, everyone in the House would vote on the poems as to which one best represented them. Once the winning poem had been selected, each House would read their poem at the Halloween Feast.

Draco sometimes wrote poetry as an outlet for his feelings and frustrations, although he would deny it to his dying day. He could already think of a few that he had already written that described Slytherin very well. He looked closer at the posting. It didn't say anything about submissions having to be signed. He supposed he could enter one anonymously. In fact, he figured all submissions in the Slytherin House would be anonymous. No one in Slytherin would ever admit to writing poetry.

Nodding to himself, Draco went to find his hidden book of poems to decide on one to enter.

Draco fidgeted nervously in his seat in the Great Hall. He was still in shock that his poem had been the one to be chosen by his House. Of course, all submissions had been anonymous, and there were more than he had thought there would be. His poem had mentioned nothing about Slytherin, or even what the House of Slytherin was supposed to stand for. It had reflected his feelings, and what he knew to be the feelings of most of his housemates. It was actually kind of depressing. Now, not only was his poem going to be read aloud in front of all of Hogwarts, but he was going to be the one to read it. He was a prefect and the unofficial leader of Slytherin House and had been selected by Professor Snape himself to read the poem.

Slytherin was to be the last House to read their poem. The other Houses poems all seemed to be about House pride, some serious, some funny. None were anything like his poem and that made him even more nervous.

Finally, when Ravenclaw finished their poem, Professor Dumbledore stood up and addressed the student body.

"And last but certainly not least, Draco Malfoy will read Slytherin Houses poem. This poem was submitted anonymously, but we would like to congratulate the author anyhow, whoever you may be. I believe the poem is titled Stained Glass. Mr. Malfoy if you will."

Draco took a deep breath and stood up from his place at the end of the table. He picked up the sheet of paper which had the poem written on it, even though he didn't really need it. All eyes in the room were on him as he began to read.

"Is there anyone that fails?

Is there anyone that falls?

Am I the only one in school today,

Feeling so small?

Cause when I take a look around,

Everybody seems so strong,

I know they'll soon discover,

That I don't belong.

So I tuck it all away,

Like every things okay,

If I make them all believe it,

Maybe I'll believe it too.

So with a painted grin,

I play the part again,

So everyone will see me,

The way that I see them.

Are we happy plastic people,

Under shiny plastic steeples,

With walls around our weakness,

And smiles to hide our pain?

Were the invitation open,

To every heart that has been broken,

Maybe then we'd close the curtain,

On our stained glass masquerade.

Is there anyone who's been there?

Are there any hands to rise?

Am I the only one who's traded,

In the classroom for a stage?

The performance is convincing,

And we know every line by heart,

Only when no one is watching,

Can we really fall apart.

But would it set me free,

If I dared to let you see,

The truth behind the person,

That you imagine me to be?

Would your arms be open?

Or would you walk away?

Would the love of people,

Be enough to make you stay?

Are we happy plastic people,

Under shiny plastic steeples,

With walls around our weakness,

And smiles to hide our pain?

Were the invitation open,

To every heart that has been broken,

Maybe then we'd close the curtain,

On our stained glass masquerade."

The Great Hall was completely silent. Something that almost never occurred. The happy festive mood abruptly sobered. With every eye still fixed on Draco, he gracefully returned to his seat. Even the Professors seemed shocked at the poem which Slytherin House had chosen. Of course each Head of House had screened all the poems before they were voted on to make sure they were appropriate, but the poems were seen by the Head of their own House only.

"Yes, well, thank you Draco," said Professor Dumbledore, breaking the silence. "And that concludes the House poems. Let the Feast begin."

Food started to appear on the tables, and people started to eat and talk once more. The mood a lot more somber than it had been. The topics of conversations were the poems, most specifically the Slytherin poem. Many people started to reevaluate their opinions of the Slytherin House.

Draco was watching the Professor's table. While reading the last verse he had stared very pointedly at the Headmaster. The Professors and many of the older students knew what he was referring to when he had mentioned the invitation being open. It had always been that the Slytherin House was shunned because of the whole Voldemort/Death Eater business, even if no one openly said anything. The students in the other three Houses were openly accepted, trusted, asked to join the ranks of the good and whatnot. But Slytherin was always rejected, pushed away, scorned, and even abused. The invitation was closed to them, simply because a _hat_ had said one name and not another. It was almost like a self fulfilling prophecy.

"We hate you, we reject you, we push you away because you're evil, you follow Voldemort," says the 'side of the light.'

While we say, "We follow Voldemort because you hate us, you reject us, you push us away until we have no other choice."

If, as he had said, 'were the invitation open', then maybe a lot of the fighting, even the war would have ended a long time ago. They didn't realize that they were the ones that were truly keeping the war going.

Dumbledore met Draco's eyes. The Headmaster somehow knew that Draco had written that poem, and understood exactly what Draco was saying. Dumbledore nodded gravely. Draco nodded back. Maybe now things would start to change.

End.

**A/N: **If anyone has any poems for the other houses and wants to send them to me, I would be glad to add them to the story (with full credit to author of said poem) and make the story much longer, but I couldn't come up with anything for the other houses. Let me know what you think.


End file.
